Chuck Leavell - The Earth Song

Every cause needs its heroes. And
when this hero also happens to be a musician beyond compare and lives his life
as an example of what he preaches, it’s perfect. We’re talking about Chuck
Leavell, an American musician who has played the keyboard with the likes of
Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Gov’t Mule, John Mayer, and has been the touring
members of the Rolling Stones for several years.

The 62-year-old rock ‘n’ roll
musician’s passion, however, isn’t limited to his band performances. In fact,
Leavell is known as much for being a tree farmer and conservationist as he is
for his keyboard skills. Although he was always a nature lover, Leavell’s
passion for everything connected to farms, soil, trees and taking care of it
all started when his wife Rose Lane inherited 1,000 acres of land from her
grandmother.

Today, the couple’s 2500-acre
Charlane Plantation is an award-winning Tree Farm and hunting preserve. A
supporter of sustainable forestry and environment conservation, Leavell was
also given an honorary forest ranger award from the United States Forest
Service in 2012. The same year, he also received the Lifetime Achievement
Grammy Award for his music.

As if Leavell wasn’t juggling enough
passions, he has also authored three books. His first was Forever Green: The History and Hope of the American Forest which
was followed by his autobiography in 2005 –Between
Rock and A Home Place , which is considered to be one of the bet rock
autobiographies. In 2006, Leavell wrote The
Tree Farmer , a book for children. His recent book Growing a Better America: Smart, Strong, Sustainable has received
rave reviews and has even been called one of the best “common sense
environmental books for all time”. He also has his hands full with the Mother
Nature Network, an environmental news and lifestyle site, which he formed with
Joel Babbit, a PR and advertising man, in 2009.

So what’s stopping you from planting
a sapling, tending to your plants or starting a vegetable garden on the terrace?